The Bet
by Azamiko
Summary: Possible Shounenai. Much lighter than my usual fic, no angst! Kakashi and Sakura make a bet with the others about their teammate's sexuality.
1. Hook

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.

A/N: This is nothing like my other stories; sorry if you don't like it. It's just a funny one that I've had rattling around in my head the past couple of days. Possibly shounen-ai (like I'm going to _tell_ you the ending) and definatly not to be taken seriously. It's only going to be a couple of chapters (as far as I can tell right now), but actually, this is my only fic thus far that _will_have a continuous-story chapter. Wow...Yay me. Dedicated to all of the people who have me on Author Alert, because I feel kind of bad for this being so...different from my usual sort...At least I'm pretty sure that Nissie will like it...

* * *

"Maa, it's true!"

Kurenai crossed her arms and glared skeptically at the silver-haired Jounin. She, Asuma, Gai, Iruka, and Kakashi had met almost accidentally at the Ichiraku, just like they had each Saturday since being assigned their genin teams five years ago. The addition of Iruka was more recent, but definitely not a surprise. He and Kakashi seemed to have bonded over their concern for Uzumaki Naruto. Though she rather liked the kid—who was, incidentally the topic of their current discussion—Kurenai could never figure out what it was that drew people to him.

"You're telling me that the most chased after boy in Konoha is…what? In love with Naruto? I just don't buy it, Kakashi."

"Yeah, with that attitude, there is no way that Uchiha is gay." Asuma chimed in, grinning wryly.

"Are you saying that I don't know my own team?" Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at his comrades. "How insulting! Maa, you believe me, don't you Iruka?"

The brown-haired chuunin looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Kakashi-san, it's not that I doubt your observational skills, but I think that if Sasuke were gay, I'd know."

Instead of looking insulted as he had claimed, the silver-haired leader of team 7 looked more and more cheerful as his friends refuted his claim. At that moment, Gai returned from the bathroom.

"What have I missed, my comrades!" By this point, no one even flinched at Gai's ever-exuberant tone.

"Kakashi's trying to convince us that Sasuke is gay." The disbelief in Kurenai's voice was obvious.

At that, Gai looked a bit flabbergasted.

"W-why would you say that, my eternal rival!"

Kakashi sighed. "Little things, the way he looks at Naruto, the fact that he's never dated, even though so many girls chase him…" Again, he noted the disbelief etched in the faces of his friends. "Hey, if you don't believe me…what's say we make a little wager?"

Now it was Kurenai's turn to raise an eyebrow. Kakashi was actually suggesting a 'contest' to Gai? Now there was a switch.

As if reading her thoughts, Kakashi explained. "I don't like that you guys don't think that I know my team. Kurenai, you were the one who was telling us all about Kiba's 'cute little crush' on Hinata earlier. Do you think that you're more observant than I am?"

"Well, no…but…" Trapped, the kunoichi looked at Asuma and Iruka for help. Both men shrugged helplessly.

"Alright! This will be a bet between us, Konohagakure's eternal rivals!" Gai did his nice-guy pose, but Kakashi was already shaking his head.

"How about we let _everyone_ get in on it this time, Gai? _They're_ the ones who don't believe me."

Finally, with some hesitation, Asuma and Kurenai joined in on the bet. The stakes? A full dinner, for _all _of the teams, paid for by the losers. Of course, this meant that if Kakashi was wrong, he'd have to pay for the entire thing by himself, but, he decided, that was the only way to make it risky enough that the others would definitely join in. If there wasn't a good chance of him having to pay a _lot_ of money, then there was no way that they'd have made the bet with him.

Iruka refused to join in, pleading that the stakes were too high for his Chuunin salary. _He_ couldn't afford something that extravagant, the brown-haired man pouted.

Finally, it was all set, and the five ninja went their separate ways for the night. Well, sort of. Asuma and Kakashi offered to walk Kurenai and Iruka, respectively, home, and Gai decided that he had to run five hundred laps around the town before going to sleep. Either way, none of the others noticed the sly chuckles of the Jounin and Chuunin as they strolled back to the younger man's apartment.

* * *

Earlier that day…

* * *

"I'm telling you, Ino-pig, we weren't on a date! Naruto's not even interested in me anymore!" Irritated, the pink-haired kunoichi stomped her foot on the floor of her friend's flower shop.

"Yeah, yeah, Sakura-big-forehead. I saw what I saw, and that was _you_ and Uzumaki Naruto on a _date_. That means that Sasuke-kun is mine for the taking!" The wicked grin on Ino's face looked almost painful, it was so big. Sakura grunted in frustration. There was only one way out of this that she could see, and she wasn't sure if she could pull it off. Wait-a-minute! Who was she kidding, she was Sakura, apprentice to Tsunande, greatest Kunoichi in her village! Of _course_ she could do it!

"No, really! Naruto's not into me anymore! Actually…" Sakura bit her lip, letting the sudden silence draw Ino's natural nosiness out.

"What?"_ There!_ Inner-Sakura let out a whoop of satisfaction.

"He was asking me advice about how to get who he _really _likes." Hook.

"Feh, asking advice from _you_?"

"Yeah! I'm great at that sort of thing!" Line.

"Yeah, right, whatever. You've never even had a boyfriend."

"But I've had more guys after me than _you_ have, Ino-pig."

The blonde girl waved that comment away, probably because she couldn't dispute its truth.

"…So…who does he like, then?" _Sinker!_

By this point, Inner-Sakura was cackling with glee. Oh boy, was she going to love this.

"Sasuke."

The way Ino's eyes bulged and mouth hung open was worth every moment of teasing Sakura had ever received from her over-confident friend. At that moment, the girls were joined in the empty shop by the rest of Ino's team, Shikamaru and Chouji.

Warily, noting Ino's expression of shock and figuring that no good would come of it, the boys stepped closer.

"Oi…what'd you do to Ino, Sakura?" Chouji was the one who voiced the question in between handfuls of chips.

"I told her that Naruto's gay."

To say that their reactions were worth it would have been greatly underestimating the joy Inner-Sakura felt at seeing Chouji begin choking on his chips and Shikamaru suddenly very still face. Quickly, the shadow-user pounded his friend on the back.

"Did he actually _say_ Sasuke-kun's name, Sakura-chan!" Ino had broken out of her stupor to ask this very obvious question. The boy's eyes swung back to the gloating kunoichi.

"Hah! No, of course, not! But I could definitely tell who he was talking about…Dark hair, pale, a blood-limit. It was obvious!"

At that, Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "But…that also describes Hinata-chan. And you must have noticed her crush on _him._ He probably finally got a clue or something."

But Sakura was already shaking her head. "I know my teammates! I mean, Ino told me all about your crush on Temari-san. Though, I have to say, that was pretty obvious to _everyone_." At the dark-haired boy's look of horror, she continued in a kinder voice, "hey, she likes you, too."

Chouji, seeing how flustered his friend was getting, brought them back to the topic at hand. "But really, how do you know that it's Sasuke that Naruto likes and not Hinata? He has been spending a lot more time with her than he used to…"

Suddenly, the large boy felt murderous eyes pinning him where he was. His hand paused in the middle of bringing a chip to his mouth.

"Are you saying that I don't know my own teammate! Fine, then, let's make it a bet! I'll prove that it's Sasuke that Naruto likes, and when I do, you guys…each have to teach me a new jutsu! One of yours that _I_ get to pick!" Before the others could protest, the fiery girl continued, "if I'm wrong, and it's Hinata—or heck, Neji, Hanabi, or _whoever_—that he likes, then…Ino, I'll work in the shop for you for a month, and I'll give you guys some of the best healing herbs available! How's that!"

Still as wary as when they'd walked into the shop; the boys looked at each other, then at Ino. She frowned in thought. Naruto was one of the straightest boys she'd ever met; heck, she'd believe that there was something going on between Shikamaru and Chouji before she'd believe that he was secretly in love with his rival. Though the two had gotten closer over the years—once Sasuke had been brought back from Orochimaru's—they still argued and fought constantly. She'd heard more than one story from Sakura about how one had put the other in the hospital _again._

"Fine. You have a week from tonight, Sakura-big-forehead." The blonde kunoichi smirked. "And you'd better hope that you win, because when you're in this shop, _I'm _the boss."

Neither of her teammates said anything about that last bit. After all, they did want to live to see the end of this bet.

Satisfied, the pink-haired kunoichi nodded confidently and exited the shop. Only when she was out of sight did she let her glee pour out, with almost insane-sounding cackles. Oh boy, this was going to be _fun!_


	2. Line

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine...really...no matter what the voices tell us...O.o Did I say us?

* * *

Though Asuma and the others kept expecting something to happen, the next few days were peaceful. It wasn't until the week was half over that someone thought to ask Iruka about the absence of the by-now- infamous team 7, only to discover that the four shinobi had left for a survival-training mission in the surrounding forests.

The Jounin's grumbles could be heard throughout the Ichiraku, but Ino, who just _happened_ to be eating at the same restaurant for lunch, looked smug. Ha! She thought, Sakura won't be here to prove it, so I'll win the bet by default!

When she voiced her thoughts aloud, however, her teammates--whom she'd dragged along, Shikamaru to pay, and Chouji because…well, just because--looked skeptical.

"You think she didn't know about this mission when she made the bet, Ino? She'll be back in time." The dark-haired boy sighed as the blonde nodded agreement.

That dimmed Ino's glee a bit, but, since she was still sure to win, the girl wasn't as irritated as she normally would have been when her friend's didn't see her brilliance.

At the mention of a bet, their ex-teacher's ears had almost visibly perked; raising an eyebrow, Asuma turned to look at his former charges.

"Did you say something about a bet?" The Jounin grew quiet with interest. "Does this bet have something to do with team 7, by any chance…?"

Ino--who'd already heard about the Jounin's bet from a gossipy waitress, though the details were a bit cloudy--smirked, enjoying knowing something that her superior didn't.

"Yeah, I hear you have a bet of your own going, Sensei."

Again, the eyebrow went up. How did the girl always know _everything_…?

"Just a small wager with Kakashi, probably something like the one you have with Sakura?" The young woman twitched, causing Asuma to smile innocently. It always felt good to provoke her…after all, she couldn't yell at _him_. By the glares he was getting from the rest of the team, it was obvious who would be getting the brunt of the head-strong woman's anger.

"So, Ino…what exactly was the nature of _your_ bet, huh?" He didn't even look at Kurenai when she kicked him under the table. If _he_ didn't mess with his team, who would?

"Nope, you tell first, Asuma-sensei." The battle of wills would have gone on, if Kurenai hadn't taken it upon herself to kick her friend once more, this time with enough force to make him wince.

"We, uh, bet Kakashi that Sasuke…" Suddenly, he realized just how absurd the entire ordeal was, "isn'tgayandinlovewithNaruto."

Once she had deciphered the older man's words--a beat slower than her teammates Asuma noted--Ino's eyes widened. This threw the Jounins off, they'd figured that her bet with Sakura had been the same, now they weren't sure. The young woman looked too surprised for that to have been the case.

"Wait, _Sasuke-kun!_ You bet that Sasuke-kun isn't gay? What I mean is…Kakashi--"

Asuma reminded himself to remind her to be more respectful when referring to upper-level ninja she didn't know well.

"--thinks that _Sasuke-kun_ is gay!" Now her mouth was opening and closing like a beached fish. Shikamaru looked thoughtful, and even Chouji paused in eating to snort. What was _that_ about, wondered Asuma.

He got _his_ answer when it was Chouji who answered the earlier query. "Ino, and us, I guess, bet Sakura that _Naruto_ is gay and in love with Sasuke."

For a moment, all that could be heard was Chouji's chomping as he went back to his meal. Finally, Shikamaru spoke.

"Evidently, he's told her that he likes someone pale with dark hair and a bloodline limit. We think that he was talking about Hinata, though."

Asuma nodded, "he has been spending a lot of time with her recently."

Kurenai was shaking her head, however, looking baffled. "No, she--" the Jounin woman blushed, sighed.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter at this point." Everyone looked at her curiously.

"Naruto's…been giving Hinata advice on romance, actually." Seeing that the faces of her comrades became even more confused at her explanation, she continued. "She and Kiba just confessed to each other."

Dawning comprehension filled Team 10's faces.

"But still…maybe he discovered his feelings while he was helping her sort out hers…?" Comprehension turned to desperation as Ino tried to understand what was going on.

The dark-haired woman looked unsure and, finding nothing to say, simply lifted her tea to her lips.

Shikamaru coughed, "well, it looks like we'll be getting our answers soon enough."

The sound of indignant screeching filled the restaurant as team 7 entered, looking slightly worn but otherwise fine. Well, as long as one knew enough to ignore Naruto's black eye, of course.

* * *

A/N: Well, it looks like this will be 3 or 4 chapters...Weird...O.o

Thanks to my reviewers: InExpressible, Nissie (as usual), Silvermoon123, Wolfbane2, silverfangedgoddess09, genbo, nannon, kawaiineziumi (you'll see how they prove it!), shizu2, Back of Beyond, Ano Saa, srusse87, and Aseret Kitsune!


	3. Sinker

;Sorry that this took so long…I was distracted by finals and Avatar fan fiction. Does anyone think that I should post a one shot showing how it happened...?

* * *

"Yo!" Kakashi ignored his bickering team to smile at the gaping ninja. Actually…if Ino looked closely enough, she'd _swear_ that it wasn't his general smile but a smug smirk. She and her former teacher shared a look. Something was up.

Sakura looked up from where she'd been shoving at her teammates, keeping them apart as they tried to strangle each other. Sometimes, she'd swear that they were still twelve.

"Hey, Ino-pig!" Abruptly, the kunoichi let go of Sasuke and Naruto, letting the duo, surprised by the sudden release, bang heads.

"Teme! You did that on purpose!" The dark-haired boy scowled at his supposed-love-interest's idiocy, which Ino took as a good sign.

Sakura smiled, raising an eyebrow at her friend's silliness. Did Ino think that they'd act all gushy toward each other if they admitted their feelings? Feh, showed how much the blond girl knew. They'd practically tried to kill each other when they were just friends, who knew what they'd do as lovers?

"Dobe, how could _I_ have done that! Besides, do you think I want to be bonking heads with _you_?"

There was a pause as the entire restaurant blinked at the double entendre while Sasuke tried valiantly to ignore the stares. Luckily, it went right over the blonde's head.

"How am I supposed to know how you did it! You're supposed to be the genius." The very nice sneer on his face almost made up for his nonsensical words.

"Okay, okay, why don't we just eat now?" Aware of their audience, Sakura tried a more diplomatic method of stopping their fight than she usually did.

Asuma and Kurenai watched their friend's team with interest. Sure, their teams had fights, but never like Sasuke and Naruto. That was why Asuma'd felt safe making the bet; the idea of the two boys thinking anything but violent thoughts about the each other was just…unfathomable.

Just as the group was sitting down, half of it still grumbling, the curtain was pushed aside once more.

"Hey, Naruto! You guys are back from your mission already? How'd it go?" Iruka smiled as he caught sight of his favorite ex-student. He, Gai and his team, and Kurenai's team crowded into the restaurant. Over the past few years, Ichiraku really had become _the_ place for the younger crowd of ninja to eat.

After the newcomers had finished ordering, the entire group sat around talking. Ino and Asuma kept their eyes peeled for any signs of feelings other than animosity between Naruto and Sasuke, but smugly noted that the two acted just as they always had.

What they didn't notice was that they themselves were being subjected to more than a few laughing looks from Sakura, Kakashi, and Iruka. Kurenai, Chouji, and Shikamaru were the only ones to note the fact that Iruka and Kakashi were casually touching each other every chance they got, and _everyone_ noticed the shy, blushing looks Kiba and Hinata were exchanging.

The real fun started once everyone had finished eating, though. Gai, impatient to end the bet as soon as he could, decided to subtly question the boys.

"So, Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun, what have you been up to lately."

Kurenai almost groaned out loud as the boys gave the Jounin a 'what are you _on_?' look.

"We," Naruto spoke slowly as he gestured to his teammates. "Just got back from a mission. Remember? We explained it earlier…?"

"Naruto, you idiot, he means it in a more general sense." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Eh? Oh, not much. Training, missions. Oh!" He turned to Ino, "do you have any spare pots? Mr. Spiny had babies." He beamed.

"Yeah, sure." For a moment, the rest of the group was ignored as the two blondes discussed when best to pot plants. Finally, Sakura interrupted, reminding Naruto that they were training early the next day, and that she was going to get some sleep.

"Hai, Sakura-chan! I'll walk you home!" This started a short argument with Lee, who offered the same. The tiff was ended by Sakura smacking Naruto's head and telling him that she'd see him in the morning. After a cheerful goodnight to everyone else, the pink-haired girl linked her arm with her escort's and left.

"Dobe," seemed to be Sasuke's opinion on Naruto losing the fight to walk his friend home. Cheerfully, the blonde stuck his tongue out at the group in general.

"She wanted him to take her home, anyway. I was just foolin' around." For once, Gai was speechless. But not for long.

"What do you mean, Naruto-kun?"

Strangely, it was Sasuke who answered. "None of you noticed? Che."

"Maa, maa, boys, let's let Sakura's business stay her own." The smirk that they just _knew_ was on the copy-nin's face belied his words.

"Since when are you so smart about relationships, Naruto?" Shikamaru decided that it was time he did some fishing of his own. Hinata turned pink and clutched Kiba's hand underneath the table.

"Just what--"

"Animal instinct," Sasuke interjected dryly, causing Neji to snort and Tenten and Chouji to laugh outright.

"Teme! I'm gonna totally beat you," he yawned, "tomorrow!" Laughing again, the group began to break up, as everyone began to think about bed. It really _was_ late, after all.

Right before everyone left, though, Ino had a sudden inspiration about how to prove Sakura wrong.

"Hey, Naruto!" The blond boy turned back from the exit with a curious look.

"Kurenai mentioned that you'd been giving Hinata advice on…stuff. Relationships. Then, you knew Sakura's business…Really, what's up?" It seemed like the entire room was holding its breath,--and Hinata and Kiba turned a very pretty shade of pink, but that's another matter--but Naruto just grinned cockily and shook his head.

"Why does everyone always think I'm dumb?"

Ino turned a bit red; she hadn't really meant to insult him that time. Sasuke, standing next to the loud boy, rolled his eyes.

"You really love screwing with people's heads, don't you dobe…?"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean, teme! And don't call me that!"

"Che, like you don't know, _dobe_." The dark-haired prodigy smirked.

"Uh…guys?" The rest of the group watched the verbal sparring with varying degrees of amusement.

Naruto blinked and glanced at their audience before smiling and scratching the back of his head.

"Eheh…um, well, I knew about Sakura, 'cause she mentioned it…and Hinata didn't need advice, she needed someone to confirm what she thought and tell her to go ahead and tell _him_." He gestured with a thumb towards Kiba, who seemed to be turning even redder, if it were possible. Seemingly done, Naruto and Sasuke both turned back to the exit.

"Oh, yeah!" Both boys halted again. Why did Sasuke seem to be waiting for Naruto, Ino wondered uneasily.

"Plus, I got a boyfriend before either of 'em." This time, his gesture almost banged Sasuke in the head. However, no one seemed to have noticed, since they'd gone into shock with his casual comment.

"Che, you've made your point, dobe." Sasuke caught the flailing hand; due to her shock, Kurenai almost didn't notice that he didn't let go, that _Sasuke Uchiha_ was actually holding _Naruto_ _Uzumaki's_ hand.

"Teme!" The two continued out the door, leaving a gaping--and, in Kakashi and Iruka's cases very smug--crowd in their wake. Ino could hear them bickering as they continued down the street.

"You're such a _girl_, dobe. Always have to be dramatic."

"Yeah, well, you kept wussing out about telling 'em, teme! At least I did it!"

"Excuse me if I don't find it necessary to shout my business all over town!"

As the voices faded from earshot, Kakashi turned triumphantly to the other Jounin.

"So…When will we be having that dinner? Oh, and what was it you guys were doing for Sakura? Jutsu?" Iruka had to hang onto Kakashi's arm to keep from falling over in laughter.

Hinata blushed, giggling herself at everyone's expressions. Even Shino was stunned. She was glad that she'd known about the couple _before_ they'd decided to have Kakashi and Sakura make those bets. She feared that if she hadn't already known, she and her team would have gotten involved as well.


End file.
